PATERSON – Two Black Lives Matter leaders arrested during a Jameek Lowery protest march Friday night have been released, but a subsequent rally Saturday drew only a handful of people.

About a dozen people gathered outside City Hall on Saturday afternoon for what was supposed to be a protest march to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center, where Lowery died last Monday. After waiting more than 90 minutes for more participants, organizers decided to reassemble at the hospital.

Even fewer people showed up there. There were more Paterson police officers outside the hospital than there were activists.

People rally outside of Paterson City Hall in the wake of the death of Jameek Lowery on Wednesday, January 9, 2019. Jameek Lowry, a 27-year-old Paterson man, died Monday morning, days after he recorded a frantic video at the city's police headquarters during which he said people — including police officers — were trying to kill him.
(Photo: Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com)

Friday night’s arrests took place as protesters marched along the street near the corner of Market and Main streets, a block from City Hall. At first, there was little sign of police officers at the rally, as a result of what law enforcement officials described as a strategy to keep the peace by having a minimal show of force.

But officers on motorcycles suddenly appeared and cut off the marchers. Officers took Zellie Thomas of Paterson and Hawk Newsome of New York into custody and charged them with obstruction, officials said.

Saturday’s protest was the fourth in five days as community activists continue to demand an explanation for Lowery’s death. The 27-year-old city resident, who said during a 911 call that he took too much Ecstasy, recorded a frantic video at police headquarters on Jan. 5 during which he claimed police officers were trying to kill him.

Lowery ended up on life-support last weekend and died on Monday. His family members and some city activists have claimed he was beaten to death by police.

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Meek Lowery live-streamed this video on Facebook from the Paterson police HQ, describing himself as "paranoid." He was hospitalized and died two days later.
Video courtesy of Lowery's family

Thomas, a Paterson school teacher who unsuccessfully ran for city council last May, could not be reached for comment on Saturday morning. He announced his release on his Facebook page late Friday night. Thomas was not among the handful of activists who showed up on Saturday.